When Moe kicked the bucket….

Harry Richardson is a long-time student of Islam and author of best seller, “the Story Of Mohammed – Islam Unveiled’. He is hoping Â thatÂ former Muslims will show their Imams and religious leaders the same respect which the Italians showed Mussolini at the end of WW2.

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For thousands of years now, people have studied the Bible and argued over whether or not it contains the truth. Although parts of it do require a leap of faith, I have to say,Â it has stood up pretty well and no-one has been able to prove conclusively whether it is true or not. At the end of the day, it comes down to the individual, you either believe it or you don’t.

Up until the last decade or so however, Islamic Doctrine has never faced any such scrutiny, even by Muslims themselves. Critical evaluation of Islam or of Mohammed’s life is known as “Itjihad” and is forbidden in Islamic Law and is indeed regarded as blasphemy (which carries severe penalties).

Due to the complex and seemingly illogical way in which Islamic Doctrine is recorded, not to mention an Islamic ban on infidels even touching a Koran, it is even harder for non-Muslims to understand Islamic Doctrine.

Since the horrors of 9/11 however, things have changed drastically.

Western scholars have now decoded these books and their work is available on the internet for anyone with a laptop and a modem to see. My own investigations suggest that these books will not stand up to scrutiny anything like as well as the Bible.

I believe that these books will soon be openly revealed and discussed in mainstream outlets such as TV channels, journals and newspapers, rather than just niche books (such as my own) and internet sites as they are today.

When this happens, the Islamic Holy Books will finally face the kind of scrutiny which other religious texts have always been open to.

An example of the kind of things that Muslims will soon find themselves grappling with is the story of the death of their Prophet, Mohammed. Like everything else which is written about Mohammed, all the information we have comes from the Islamic Holy Books.

These books were written by the early Muslims and form the basis of the Islamic religion itself. We can’t assume that these books contain bias against Mohammed, any more than we can assume that the Bible is biased against Jesus and the Jews. If anything, we would expect any bias to be favorable.

According to these books, Mohammed died at home, attended by his favorite wife, Aisha. He was complaining of headaches and according to a number of accounts he linked this illness to an event which happened some four years prior.

At that time, Mohammed had marched his army to a Jewish settlement called Khaybar and proceeded to attack it. Mohammed had never had a previous quarrel with the Jews of Khaybar and his raid was motivated purely by greed.

Khaybar’s Jewish residents were wealthy and successful farmers who were believed to have a good stash of treasure saved up from their hard work. This was an act of outright banditry.

Mohammed rode into Khaybar with his army, slaughtering any who stood in his way. When he had conquered all the forts in the settlement, he tortured one of the Jewish leaders in the hope of finding more treasure.

When the poor soul refused to divulge his secrets, Mohammed had his head cut off and took his wife as a sex slave.

That evening, the women of the town were ordered to cook dinner for the victors. A Jewess named Zaynab asked what Mohammed’s favourite cut of meat was. When she learned that it was the foreleg, she poisoned the leg of a lamb (some accounts say goat) and served it to Mohammed and his companions.

Mohammed and a man named Bishr began to eat the meat. Bishr thought there was something wrong with it but was reluctant to spit it out in the presence of the Prophet as it may have disgusted him while he was eating.

Shortly afterwards however, Mohammed also realised there was something wrong and spat out his mouthful declaring that the taste had warned him. Alas, it was too late for poor Bishr who turned a deathly shade of green and died right there and then.

What happened next is something that must surely cast doubt into the heart of even the most devout of Muslims about the authenticity of their Prophet’s claims.

Mohammed sent for the woman who poisoned the meat and asked her why she had done this. She replied, “If you were a prophet, it would not harm you; but if you were a king, [Ed: in other words, not a Prophet] I should rid the people of you”.

Since the unfortunate Bishr had already figured out that there was something wrong with the meat due to its taste, Mohammed’s belated claim that the meat had spoken to him seems shaky at best. If he really were a prophet then surely he would have known that the meat was poisoned before either he or his companion began to eat it.

When our mainstream media finally ponies up the courage to begin examining and discussing these issues (and I believe we are not far from that point) Muslims will be forced to confront the following, deeply disturbing facts which are recorded quite clearly in their own Holy Books.

1. Mohammed was a bandit who killed, raped and tortured people for no reason other than his own greed and self-gratification.

2. Mohammed’s claim to be a Prophet of Allah is totally undermined by his inability to know that the food he was about to eat had been poisoned by his enemies as a test of his Prophethood and which would ultimately kill him.

During the next four years he would suffer a long and terribly painful illness. Muslims believe that everything happens exactly as Allah wills it. What possible reason would Allah have for torturing and ultimately killing his own Prophet?

Be aware that Mohammed is THE central figure in the Islamic religion. Any claims that other Prophets (such as Abraham, Moses or Jesus) were Muslims and made up a part of the Islamic faith, are related to us only through Mohammed and are not confirmed by any other source.

Once Muslims finally see their doctrine exposed and debated, I believe they will begin to desert it in droves. Since leaving Islam (apostasy as it is called) carries the death penalty under Islamic Law, many are so far reluctant to take that step.

I believe however, when it does happen, it will be like sheep being herded through a gate. At first they all eye it with suspicion until one of them makes a bolt for it.This one is followed by two or three, then four or five until finally, the rest all rush through en masse.

When this does finally happen, I suspect that former Muslims will show their Imams and religious leaders the same respect which the Italians showed Mussolini at the end of WW2.

The following quotes relating to Mohammed’s death are taken from Islamic Sacred Texts:

(Please note: When reading these books it is important to understand that some of them are considered more authentic than others. The Koran is the most highly regarded of Islam’s sources but contains no information about Mohammed’s death. Next down are the hadith (biographies) by Bukhari and Muslim and Sirat Rasull Allah, by Ibn Ishaq. Next below these is the hadith of Abu Dawud. The most detailed accounts of Mohammed’s death are recorded in Ibn Saad’s “Kitab Al-Tabaqat Al-Kabir” which was written around the same time as these other hadith and is highly regarded being “the earliest surviving biographical dictionary, [of Mohammed’s life] and later a staple of the Sunni tradition.”)

… When the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, conquered Khaybar and he had peace of mind, Zaynab Bint al-Harith, the brother of Marhab, who was the spouse of Sallam Ibn Mishkam, inquired: Which part of the goat is liked by Muhammad? They said: The foreleg. Then she slaughtered one from her goats and roasted it (the meat). Then she wanted a poison which could not fail… The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, took the foreleg, a piece of which he put into his mouth. Bishr Ibn al-Barra took another bone and put it into his mouth. When the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, ate one morsel of it Bishr ate his and other people also ate from it. Then the Apostle of Allah…

Who Killed Muhammad?

Through the centuries, thousands of people have claimed to be prophets. Only one, however, rested his claims on the fact that his aorta hadn’t been cut. Ironically, as this man lay dying, he confessed that he could feel his aorta being severed. (Click hereÂ for a much shorter version of the argument.)

For those who want to keep track of the Muslim sources related to this issue, here they are. (Note: I didn’t use all of these in the video. Note also: I typed these in by hand, so let me know if you spot any typos.)

I. QUR’AN TRANSLATIONS

Qur’an 69:44-46â€”And if he (Muhammad) had forged a false saying concerning Us We surely should have seized him by his right hand (or with power and might), and then certainly should have cut off his life artery (Aorta).Â (Hilali-Khan)

Qur’an 69:44-46â€”And if he had invented false sayings concerning Us, We assuredly had taken him by the right hand and then severed his life-artery.Â (Pickthall)

Qur’an 69:44-46â€”Had he invented lies concerning Us, We would have seized him by the right hand and severed his heart’s vein.Â (Dawood)

Qur’an 69:44-46â€”And if he had fabricated against Us some of the sayings, We would certainly have seized him by the right hand, then We would certainly have cut off his aorta.Â (Shakir)

II. MUSLIM COMMENTARIES

Tafsir Ibn Abbas on Qur’an 69:44-46â€”(And if he had invented) and had Muhammad invented (false sayings concerning Us) lies against Us and attributed to Us that which We did not say, (We assuredly had taken him) We assuredly had taken revenge against him (by the right hand) by means of truth and proofs; it is also said this means: We assuredly had vehemently taken him. (And then severed his life artery) the life artery of Muhammad (pbuh).

Tafsir Jalalayn on Qur’an 69:44-46â€”And had he, namely, the Prophet (s), fabricated any lies against Us, by communicating from Us that which We have not said, We would have assuredly seized him, We would have exacted vengeance [against him], as punishment, by the Right Hand, by [Our] strength and power; then We would have assuredly severed his life-artery, the aorta of the heart, a vein that connects with it, and which if severed results in that person’s death.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir on Qur’an 69:46â€”(And then We certainly would have cut off Al-Watin from him,) Ibn ‘Abbas said, “It (Al-Watin) refers to the artery of the heart, and it is the vein that is attached to the heart.” This has also been said by ‘Ikrimah, Sa’id bin Jubayr, Al-Hakim, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Muslim Al-Batin and Abu Sakhr Humayd bin Ziyad.

III. HADITH REFERENCES

Sahih al-Bukhari 2588â€”Aisha said, “When the Prophet became sick and his condition became serious, he requested his wives to allow him to be treated in my house, and they allowed him. He came out leaning on two men while his feet were dragging on the ground.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 2617â€”A Jewess brought a poisoned (cooked) sheep for the Prophet who ate from it. She was brought to the Prophet and was asked, “Shall we kill her?” He said, “No.” Anas added: “I continued to see the effect of the poison on the palate of the mouth of Allah’s Messenger.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 2797â€”The Prophet said, . . . “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is! I would love to be martyred in Allah’s Cause and then come back to life and then get martyred, and then come back to life again and then get martyred and then come back to life again and then get martyred.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 4428â€”The Prophet in his ailment in which he died, used to say, “O Aishah! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel as if my aorta is being cut from that poison.”

Sahih Muslim 5430â€”A Jewess came to Allah’s Messenger with poisoned mutton and he took of what had been brought to him. (When the effects of this poison were felt by him) he called for her and asked her about that, whereupon she said: I had determined to kill you. Thereupon he said: Allah will never give you the power to do it.

Sunan Abu Dawud 4498â€”A Jewess presented [Muhammad] at Khaibar a roasted sheep which she had poisoned. The Apostle of Allah ate of it and the people also ate. He then said: Lift your hands (from eating), for it has informed me that it is poisoned. Bishr b. al-Bara b. Ma’rur al-Ansari died. So he (the Prophet) sent for the Jewess (and said to her): What motivated you to do the work you have done? She said: If you were a prophet, it would not harm you; but if you were a king, I would rid the people of you. The Apostle of Allah then ordered regarding her and she was killed. He then said about the pain of which he died: I continued to feel pain from the morsel which I had eaten at Khaibar. This is the time when it has cut off my aorta.

Sunan Abu Dawud 4449â€”Umm Bishr said to the Prophet during the sickness of which he died: What do you think about your illness, Apostle of Allah? I do not think about the illness of my son except the poisoned sheep of which he had eaten with you at Khaibar. The Prophet said: And I do not think about my illness except that. This is the time when it cut off my aorta.

Ibn Ishaq, p. 516â€”When the apostle had rested, Zaynab d. al-Harith, the wife of Sallam b. Mishkam prepared for him a roast lamb, having first inquired what joint he preferred. When she learned that it was the shoulder she put a lot of poison in it and poisoned the whole lamb. Then she brought it in and placed it before him. He took hold of the shoulder and chewed a morsel of it, but he did not swallow it. Bishr b. al-Bara b. Ma’rur who was with him took some of it as the apostle had done, but he swallowed it, while the apostle spat it out, saying, ‘This bone tells me that it is poisoned.’ Then he called for the woman and she confessed, and when he asked her what had induced her to do this she answered: ‘You know what you have done to my people. I said to myself, If he is a king I shall ease myself of him and if he is a prophet he will be informed (of what I have done).’ So the apostle let her off. Bishr died from what he had eaten.

Ibn Ishaq, p. 516â€”Marwan b. Uthman b. Abu Sa’id b. al-Mu’alla told me: The apostle had said in his illness of which he was to die when Umm Bishr d. al-Bara came to visit him, ‘O Umm Bishr, this is the time in which I feel a deadly pain from what I ate with your brother at Khaybar.’

At-Tabari, Volume 8, p. 124â€”The Messenger of God said during the illness from which he diedâ€”the mother of Bishr b. al-Bara had come in to visit himâ€”“Umm Bishr, at this very moment I feel my aorta being severed because of the food I ate with your son at Khaybar.”

Ibn Sa’d, Volume 2, pp. 251-252â€”When the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, conquered Khaybar and he had peace of mind, Zaynab Bint al-Harith, the brother of Marhab, who was the spouse of Sallam Ibn Mishkam, inquired: Which part of the goat is liked by Muhammad? They said: The foreleg. Then she slaughtered one from her goats and roasted it (the meat). Then she wanted a poison which could not fail. The Jews discussed about poisons and became united on one poison. She poisoned the she-goat putting more poison on the forelegs, and shoulder. When the sun had set and the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, returned after leading the people in Maghrib (sun-set) prayers, she sat by his feet. He asked her about her. She said: O Abu al-Qasim! Here is a present which I wish to offer to you. The Prophet, may Allah bless him, ordered it to be taken. It was served to him and to his Companions who were present and among those who were present was Bishr Ibn al-Bara Ibn Ma’rur. Then the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, said: Come closer and have night meal. The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, took the foreleg, a piece of which he put into his mouth. Bishr Ibn al-Bara took another bone and put it into his mouth. When the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, ate one morsel of it Bishr ate his and other people also ate from it. Then the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, said: Hold back your hands! Because this foreleg; and according to another version, the shoulder of the goat, has informed me that it is poisoned. Thereupon Bishr said: By Him Who hath made you great! I discovered it from the morsel I took. Nothing prevented me from emitting it out, but the idea that I did not like to make your food unrelishing. When you had eaten what was in your mouth, I did not like to save my life after yours, and I also thought you would not have eaten it if there was something wrong. Bishr did not rise from his seat but his color changed to that of taylsan (a green cloth). For a year the pain did not permit him to change his sides but with the help of others and then he expired. According to another version, he died before leaving his seat. He (Ibn Sa’d) said: A peace of it was dropped before a dog who ate it and died (instantaneously) without being able to move its foreleg. The Apostle of Allah sent for Zaynab Bint al-Harith and said to her: What induced you to do what you have done? She replied: You have done to my people what you have done. You have killed my father, my uncle, and my husband, so I said to myself. If you are a prophet, the foreleg will inform you; and others have said: If you are a king we will get rid of you. The Jewess returned as she had come. He (Ibn Sa’d) said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, handed her over to the heirs of Bishr Ibn al-Bara who put her to death.